Holder for cakes or pads of steel wool



Aug. 6, 1929. B. PlNTEL HOLDER FOR CAKES OR PADS OF STEEL WOOL FiledDec. 14, 1928 m. 2 mr E 5 Patented Aug. 6, 1929.

UNITED STATES BESSIE PINTEL, 0F ARLINGTON, NEW JERSEY.

HOLDER EOE CAKES 0R PADS OF STEEL WOOL.

Application filed December 14, 1928. Serial No. 325,971.

This invention relates to a holder for a pad or' cake of steel wool andaims to provide such an article with which the cake or pad may bereadily associated so that the wool may be properly and speedily 'rubbedupon' any surface being cleaned.

It is a well appreciated fact that considerable difiieulty isexperienced in the household use'of steel wool in any form for scouringand general cleaning purposes. pr marily for the reason that elements ofthis nature injure the hand of the user, aside from the fact that theyare extremely difficult to handle. Furthermore, steel wool, either looseor in cake form readily breaks up and is wasted before beingsufficiently used.

In my device there is provided a novel, simple and useful holder withwhich the wool may be quickly associated and that will retain it untilthe projecting mass is entirely used. If desired, a batch of loose woolor a cake of wool either as now on the market or as specially preparedby me may be arranged in the holder and properly maintained therein.

Furthermore, provision has been made for the reception of a cake of soapwithin the holder upon the top of the wool, so that when the wool issoaked in water, soap will pass to the wool surface, resulting in aproper lather. I have also made provision to prevent the fingers of thehand grasping the holder from slipping beyond the edge thereof, andencountering the surface being cleaned, or the wool within the holder.

With the foregoing and other objects in view the nature of the inventionwill be better understood from the following specification inconjunction with the accompanying drawing, and wherein like referencecharacters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a detailed longitudinal section through my improved holderdisclosing the soap and a specially prepared batch of steel woolarranged therein. I

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the holder, and

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the specially prepared batch of steelwool for arrangement in my holder.

Now having particular reference to the drawing, my novel holder consistsof an inverted cup-shaped body 5, preferably of rubber or similarpliable material, and of any desired grade and pliability. Entirelysurrounding the edge of this body 5 and projecting in an inwarddirection is a ring or shoulder 6, while the said edge is entirelysurrounded with an outwardly projecting horizontal flange 7 ofpredetermined width. The interior of the body 5 is formed adjacent itstop with a circular rib 8 that pro jects towards the center of the bodyand is adapted to support within the body and in close contact with thetop portion thereof a cake of suitably shaped soap A. In actualpractice, this cake of soap or any piece of soap of desired proportionsmay be crowded or snapped in back of the rib, as is obvious. After thecake of soap has been arranged within the body as illustrated in Figure1, a batch of steel Wool B, either loose or in cake form may be forcedinto the body and there retained by the action of the ring or shoulder6, which compresses the mass if' loose, or that will engage within acircumferential channel C in a cake or pad of wool made up asillustrated in Figure 3, and designated by the reference character D. Ifloose material is to be placed in the body, a suflicient amount isemployed in order that a considerable proportion thereof will projectbeyond the body 5. If the wool is made up in pad or cake form asillustrated in Figure 3, the inner portion thereof is shaped to conformto the inner contour of the body 5 beneath the rib 8, while the outerportion beyond the channel C is relatively wider than the inner portion,so that the edge directly below the channel C will engage the edge ofthe body, this portion being bulged outward so as to engage the surfacebeing cleaned.

The body 5 is formed centrally at its outer side with a single or doublefinger loop 9, and obviously any one or two fingers of the hand may beengaged therethrough for retaining the holder in the hand. The thumb andlittle finger'may rest upon the flange 'Z or if engaged with the bodyabove the flange, said flange will protect said thumb and finger fromcoming into engagement with the wool or the surface being acted upon. Onthe back of the flange 7 the body 5 is formed with an integralvertically projecting and radially disposed tongue 10 in order that whentwo fingers are engaged through the loop 9, the said tongue may begrasped thereby for preventing wabbling of the holder and for the hottermanipulation of the device.

In view of the foregoing description when considered in conjunction withthe accompanying drawing, it will be apparent that I have produced anovel, simple, useful. and inexpensive holder for steel Wool, in orderthat the same may be properly rubbed upon a surface without the handcoming into contact with the wool or engaging the surface being actedupon. Even though I have herein shown and described the invention asconsisting of certain detailed structural elements, it is neverthelessto he understood that some changes may be made therein without affectingthe spirit and scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

A holder for steel wool comprising a body having a deep cavity andhaving at one of its sides an annular inwardly directed flange definingan entrance opening to said cavity, a second annular inwardly-extendingflange on the wa l of said cavity near the top thereof, said secondflange being adapted to support a cake of soap at the top of saidcavity, a mass of steel wool in said. cavity and partly extendingoutwardly beyond the first mentioned flange.

BESSIE PINTEL.

